Some Stories about Masahiro Mori (Baystar Manager)
a
lot of heat from fans lately (thanks aladdinsane-san for pointing this article out), so a piece that shows the other side of the coin is good to balance things out.
While I don't particularly like Mori-kantoku's batting strategy, I do admire him for what he's acomplished with the teams he has coached and managed. He's a very smart guy, and will find a way to win. I just think that he needs to adjust a bit to the team, rather than adjust the team to him.
By the way, I had read, or perhaps heard, somewhere that the reason Haru was traded was because the two didn't hit it off right from the start. If his relentless grudge holding is true, then I'm happy that Haru got traded rather than abused in Yokohama.
First of all, I do not hesitate to admire Mori's record
as a manager of Seibu Lions,
Nevertheless, I am wondering whether he is good at building a team.
It is true that Mori was superb at keep Lions winning for a decade.
Mori's invincible Lions, however, was a team inherited from Hirooka,
which already had won 2 Japan Series and 3 pennant races
in four years (1982-1985).
Seibu Lions was a team which was built from scratch into
perfection under the management of Taturo Hirooka:
Mori's senior partner then, and nemesis now.
Hirooka, with Mori, have also constructed Swallows (1976-1979),
from a door-mat into winning team's first Japan Series flag.
Therefore, with all his reputation, I was rather worrying
whether Mori is good at managing Baystars.
While Gondo's Baystars was a good team, Mori was decided to
dismantle Gondo's team and to reconstruct it in his image.
Of course, it is too early to make evaluation of Mori's Baystars.
Nevertheless, I can not wondering whether he is grasping and handling
things in Baystars now.
All I can hear at this moment is Grumbling of Mori, which is not as
different as that of Nomura, who was said to be Mori's (temporally) ally
in recent years.
I remember the comment made on Mori in Seibu years by "a noble lady"
(which was said to be written in fact by Prof. Shigekhiko Hasumi,
Prof. on literature and last president of Tokyo University!).
"She" likened Mori as an senior executive manager of a Japanese
manmoth company: good at making handsome profit from
solidly established system, but not good at making something new
as venture entrepreneur does.
Ken
This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
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He was also unrelenting with mind games against the opponent as well as his teammates. When a new catcher joined the team with a reputation as a good hitter, Mori, who was a weak hitter, made sure the rookie didn't take his position by deliberately having the opposing pitcher throw unhittable (bad pitches) during the intersquad games. That way he made sure the rookie won't be able to showcase his hitting ability. He also got the opposing pitcher to
throw big fat pitches to him saying he was not feeling very well, and he needed some help.
It tells you something about becoming a successful catcher that both Mori and Katsuya Nomura (currently Tigers Manager) started out professionally as unheralded try-out players. After Mori retired, he became a head-coach for his good friend Tatsuro Hirooka (former Giants' shortstop) for the Yakult Swallows and Seibu Lions. They were a successful tandem as they won Nippon Series in both Central & Pacific Leagues. Hirooka and Mori represented the real Yomiuri Giants style of baseball - conservative, fundamentally sound, and mentally prepared. Especially
with Seibu, they dominated NPB and created a dynasty second only to the V9 Giants as Mori replaced Hirooka as the manager.
Mori and Hirooka are now bitter enemies, and the story behind the rift between them is quite compelling. I heard this from a sports program director for an anonymous TV channel who knows Mori and Hirooka well, so it is quite reliable. Mori and Hirooka were very close, and they frequented one of those nightclubs in Tokyo. Both of them had become infatuated with the same hostess at the club. I forgot who won this contest, but since both Mori and Hirooka are the type of people who hold grudges forever, they haven't talked since then.
But anyway, I like Mori Kantoku and wish they do well against those pompous YG.